European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - September 28, 1989, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Thursday september 28, 1989 the stars and stripes Page 13 car Corner with tailgate Down floor platform length totals 88 inches. Strong performer a/1 around new 4kunncr features rounded body lines and High profile. New Toyota 4runner rates High the 1990 4runner from Toyota is Best defined As a sport Utility vehicle or maybe passenger truck As it s adapted from the sr-5 pickup and it serves As a Good example of the Ever increasing popularity of such vehicles on the american Market. They arc doing Fine in Europe As Well with Toyota giving the 4runrier its european debut at the recent Frankfurt Auto show. The 1990 Model is Toyota s first 4 door version although it has been sold in the United states As a 2-door since 1983. Toyota like several other car makers is now offering 4-door versions to Combine the passenger Access of a station Wagon with the rugged Ness of a truck. The extra doors also allow import car makers to skirt the 25 percent duty imposed on their 2-door trucks. Earlier this year the . Government exempted the 4-door models from import duties. We had the .-spccification 1990 sr5 4runner 4-door on test recently from Toyota s German division in co Logne and it s a vehicle that features a new body with rounded lines a Carlick Interior and an extremely comfortable ride even on broken terrain with four wheel drive 4wd engaged. You can shift on the Fly at speeds up to 50 Miles an hour and engagement into 4wd-High is extremely Quick and easy. The 4wd Low can be engaged at up to 5 Mph and shifting into that Mode is also surprisingly effortless. Generally speaking the 4runncr is a neat station Wagon like vehicle with a touch of aggressiveness and it s also a very rugged machine offering a wide variety of usage. When off Road three steel skid plates help protect the front suspension Transfer Case and fuel tank. The tank holds 17.2 Gallons and the running ground clearance measures 10.2 inches. The test vehicle was powered by the Standard 2.4-liter. 4-Cylinder, electronic fuel injected engine of 116 horsepower the same engine that Powers the sr5 pickup truck. We found this unit Strong and Crisp with 140 . Of torque. The 2-door 4runncr series with additional v 6 Power 150 he will also be available at Toyota car world outlets in Europe be ginning next month. The v-6 will make the vehicle More tuned in for off Road adventures but the 4-Cylindcr engine is More than adequate for Normal use both on Road and off. With the 4-Cylindcr unit the 4runncris surprisingly fast zipping Down the a lob Ahns at 105 Mph in fifth gear Over drive with the Lach Reading 4,400 rpm redline is 5,800 rpm. At 85 Mph the engine is turning 3,500 and at 65 Mph the Tach reads 2,600. Acceleration is Strong throughout the Range and the engine is pleasingly silent. The handling is of for a vehicle of this Type and the 4runncr is stable on curves. A new suspension including a four link Coil Spring system in the rear helps in the stability Factor. But the 4runncr, like All sport Utility vehicles cannot be thrown around turns like a spoils car and buyers of these vehicles should be Well aware of it. The Power assist brakes embody ventilated disks at front and Drums at rear while the 15-Inch wheels Are shod by huge p225/75 Bridge Stone desert duller steel belted mud and Snow radials. The Driver sits up High in the 4runncr and he has a Good Overall View of his surroundings. The Scal backs on the front bucket seats arc fully reclining. Despite the 4runncr s High profile it s fairly easy to enter and exiling is Only a matter of sliding out. Grab bars All around Aid in both entry and exit. Inside there is plenty of room and the backseat passengers have ample i Groom. Headrests arc Standard. The instrument panel is attractive and fairly thorough and the gauges arc easy to read. It s difficult to Sec the digital clock however As it s blocked by the position of the steering wheel rim. The Interior is neatly done with full carpeting from front to Back. With the 50/50 split rear scat backs in position cargo capacity is 43.5 cubic feet. Folded Down the capacity is 78.3 cubic feet and the floor length is 66 inches so two peo ple under 5 ft.-5 could sleep there on a camping trip. With the tailgate Down total floor length is 88 inches. The Standard rear Power window slides up and Down with the turn of the key in the rear tailgate door and it can also be operated by a switch on the Center console. There s also a switch on the con sole that locks the window. Storage bins Are located at the Bottoms of both front doors and the front scat backs also have storage pockets for those in Back. A dash mounted Holder for two cups is Standard. The 4runner is available in various packages Chrome sports and Power or combinations thereof. Some options on the test vehicle included air conditioning a separate heat control unit for backseat passengers rear window Washer and an am pm stereo and tape deck. The Price for the vehicle described in this report is $ 18,995. Another upgraded version is available at $21,795, this one including the Chrome package plus sports package and All Power items Power Sun roof Power windows Central Locking Etc. The test vehicle was without Central Locking and this feature was very much missed. On a 2-door, of. But Central Locking is the Only Way to go with a 4 door vehicle of any kind. Our Gas mileage figure came to 20.3 Miles per gallon. That s not bad for a Strong performer that weighs 4,080 pounds. While it s not difficult to predict that the 4runncr models both four wheel drive and two wheel drive versions will become popular the pricing seems definitely on the High Side. The 1990 4runncrs May be seen at the various Toyota car world locations in Germany and arc also available in Bel film. Iceland Italy the Netherlands pain and the United kingdom. Randy Barnel Auto columnist new safety restraint Laws bring Back air bags by Jana Zverina Detroit up1 the air bag has returned whether we like it or not. That about sums up the feeling of top . Auto makers and Many new car buyers As Driver Side air bags get stuffed into the steering wheels of millions of 1990-Modclcars. The government has mandated that All new cars sold in the United states must be equipped with some sort of passive safety restraint which to Date Means either a Driver s Side air bag or automatic front seat Bells. General motors corp. Plans to offer Driver s Side air bags As Standard fare on 13 car lines mostly its More expensive luxury and sporty models. Ford motor co. Plans to equip its luxury lincolns with them with some models getting a passenger Side air bag As Well although that is not required until the 1994-Modet year. Ford also will equip its mid size models like the Ford Taurus and Mercury Sable with air bags. Chrysler corp. Seems most committed with plans to offer Driver Side air bags As Standard equipment on Al domestically built 1990 models regardless of size. The air bag a Large balloon like bag that inflates and deflates in a split second during a crash to protect the Driver was first offered by pm in the mid-1970s As an extra Cost option on some Large cars. But consumer interest in the safety device was Low while stories about its unreliability were High forcing pm to discontinue air bags after a Short Lime. Since then the air bag has undergone extensive refinement largely because of advances made in the electronics that control them. Pm once again began offering them As an option on some larger cars in the mid-1980s, this time joined by Ford. Air bags arc designed for the life of the vehicle although they will probably carry no special warranty beyond that offered on the entire car. Replace ment costs could be As High As $ 1,000. Pm seems concerned that forcing air bags on buy ers of less expensive More mainstream cars May erode sales something it cannot afford after watch ing its Market share decline during the 1980s be cause of increased Competition from abroad. Pm chairman Roger Smith said last month he believes customers will ultimately prefer automatic scat belts Over air  Are going to win because they Are safer he said. Experience in terms of fatalities and Acci dents will disprove the